3D numerical analysis of corner mechanically stabilized earth walls

Figures & data

Figure 1. MSE wall cracks in uptown Cairo, 2017.

Figure 2. Cracks of curved MSEW (Andong in Korea).

Figure 3. Model experiment overview plot.

Figure 4. Curved shape of a reinforced soil retaining wall [7].

Figure 5. MSE wall 3D plaxis model.

Table 1. Soil parameters.

Property	Reinforced soil (medium sand)
Density, ɣ (kN/m^3)	19
E50 (kPa)	40E+03
Eoed (kPa)	40E+03
Eur (kPa)	120E+03
Friction Angle, Ø (degree)	35
Cohesion, c (kPa)	1.0
Dilatancy angle, ψ (degree)	5.0
Poisson’s Ratio, νur	0.2

Table 2. Facing block (plate element).

Young’s modulus, E (kPa)	105
Block thickness, d (m)	0.1

Figure 6. Horizontal displacement of facing wall at curved part from 3D plaxis model.

Figure 7. Horizontal displacement of facing wall at curved part for laboratory model test and 3D plaxis model.

Figure 8. Horizontal displacement of facing wall at straight part for laboratory model test and 3D plaxis model.

Figure 9. Cross section of MSEW [8].

Table 3. Soil parameters.

Property	Foundation, backfill and reinforced soil
Density, ɣ (kN/m^3)	19
E50 (kPa)	5.60E+04
Eoed (kPa)	5.60E+04
Eur (kPa)	1.68E+05
Friction Angle, Ø (degree)	47
Cohesion, c (kPa)	2
Dilatancy angle, ψ (degree)	12
Poisson’s Ratio, νur	0.2

Table 4. Geogrid properties.

Geogrid type	EA (KN/m)	Maximum Tensile, Tmax (kN)
RE-520	1028	52.80
RE-510	706	40.00

Table 5. Facing block (plate element).

Young’s modulus, E (kPa)	2.2E+06
Block thickness, d (m)	0.2

Figure 10. MSEW plaxis model based on monitoring of [8].

Figure 11. Facing wall displacement in 3D plaxis model for q = 0 kPa.

Figure 12. Lateral movements of the facing wall based on 3D plaxis model and monitoring of [8] for q = 0 kPa.

Figure 13. A random section studied for this research.

Table 6. Input hardening soil model parameters of backfill soil.

Property	Reinforced soil	Backfill soil	Foundation soil
Density (kN/m^3)	19	18	20
E50 (kPa)	50E+03	40E+03	100E+03
Eoed (kPa)	50E+03	40E+03	100E+03
Eur (kPa)	150E+03	120E+03	300E+03
Ø (degree)	35	33	25
c (kPa)	1	5	500
ψ (degree)	5	3	0
νur	0.2	0.2	0.25

Table 7. Geogrid properties.

Geogrid type	EA (KN/m)	Tmax(kN)
RE-570	2305	118.40
RE-560	1727	88.70
RE-540	1255	64.50

Table 8. Facing block (plate element).

E (kPa)	22.0E+05
d (m)	0.2

Figure 14. A plan of MSEW in case of right-angle and curved wal.

Figure 15. 3D plaxis model for MSEW.

Figure 16. 3D plaxis model for curved wall with difference angle.

Figure 17. Facing wall displacement.

Figure 18. Comparison of wall facing displacement for right-angle and curved wall with 90º angle.

Figure 19. Maximum facing wall displacement.

Figure 20. Strain distribution across the geogrid layers.

Figure 21. Wall facing displacement for curved wall with different angles from 50 to 120.

Figure 22. Factor of safety for curved wall with different internal curved angles from 50 to 120.

Figure 23. Maximum displacement per height of wall with different angles of curved wall.

Table 9. The specific locations of wall failure for different internal angles

Internal curve angle (°)	Locations of wall failure
50	0.50 Lc
60	0.47 Lc
70	0.45 Lc
80	0.44 Lc
90	0.41 Lc
100	0.40 Lc
110	0.40 Lc
120	0.40 Lc

Figure 24. Facing wall displacement for curved wall with different angles from 50 to 120.

Table 10. Maximum force at geogrid layer.

Geogrid layer number	Maximum force (KN/m)
	Plaxis model (curved wall, 90°)	Limit Equilibrium methods
1	16.08	17.20
2	26.37	18.86
3	21.22	16.93
4	19.54	15.00
5	19.90	13.06
6	14.65	11.13
7	14.40	9.19
8	13.78	7.26

Ki JS, Rew WH, Kim SK, et al. A behavior of curve section of reinforced retaining wall by model test. KSCE J Civil Environ Eng Res. 2012;32(6C):249–257. doi: 10.12652/KSCE.2012.32.6C.249

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Hammad MAM. Field monitoring and numerical modeling of mechanically stabilized earth wall. In: Adel M, Hammad M, editors. Faculty of engineering. Egypt: Cairo University Giza; 2017.

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